Health

Fulton County Health Services urges residents to use preventive measures to deter mosquito growth in their neighborhoods. West Nile Virus (WNV) can cause a serious illness and is transmitted from mosquitoes to humans. The occurrence of this virus increases in the summer and continues into the fall.

“We are entering the season for increased mosquito activity,” says Patrice A. Harris, MD, Director of Fulton County Health Services. “In 2011, two human cases of West Nile Virus were identified in Fulton. It is important for us to continue our prevention program and for everyone to use preventive measures to protect themselves and their families against the virus.”

ATLANTA -- Today, the Fulton County Department of Health and Wellness has signed a memorandum of understanding with Bright from the Start: Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning (DECAL) and the Georgia Head Start Association to raise awareness of daily air quality conditions as part of the county’s Fulton Asthma Improvement and Reduction (F.A.I.R.) initiative to address asthma-related health disparities. According to the American Lung Association, 24,657 children and nearly 55,000 adults in Fulton County suffer from asthma.

“This memorandum of understanding places us in a position to directly affect the health outcomes of our youngest residents,” states Patrice A. Harris, Director, Fulton County Health Services. “It also allows us to educate not only the student, but also parents and teachers about the effect of poor air quality and asthma triggers.”

FULTON COUNTY, Ga. -- Fulton County Health Services has been chosen to be a part of a three-year, $3 million initiative that will support three public health departments (Houston and Philadelphia in addition to Fulton County) to connect more people living with HIV in high-burden communities to the care they need to stay healthy. The initiative will be launched at the start of the XIX International AIDS Conference in Washington, D.C. with funding support from the Merck Company Foundation.

ROSWELL, Ga. -- North Fulton Hospital has received a grade of A for patient safety by the Leapfrog Group, an advocate group for hospital transparency.

The Roswell hospital is one of only a handful of Atlanta-area hospitals to earn an A, and the only hospital that serves North Fulton County to do so.

"Patient safety and quality are central to everything we do at North Fulton Hospital," hospital CEO Deborah C. Keel said in a statement. "The Leapfrog Group's recognition publicly acknowledges the commitment of both medical staff and all hospital staff who 'blow the whistle' for patient safety each and every day."

Data considered for the rating included patient injuries, infections, and medical and medication errors.

Summer in the south is officially here! With rising temperatures, it is important to take steps to protect those around us who might be vulnerable to the heat, like our children and pets.

Did you know that we lose heat by sweating? Water literally evaporates into the atmosphere and sucks the heat out of our bodies. Children produce even more heat than adults. This is because they have more body surface for their height. Children are also closer to the ground – and to hot pavement. They can easily become dehydrated or overheated.

ATLANTA -- Summer is officially here. Are you protecting your skin from the sun? Do you know what SPF (sun protection factor) to use? We spoke with Piedmont dermatologist Jodi Ganz, M.D., to find out what those SPF numbers really mean.

“The SPF number means it would take you that much longer to burn than you normally would without sunscreen,” says Dr. Ganz. “If it takes you 10 minutes to burn, then using an SPF5 means it would take you five times longer, or 50 minutes, to burn. An SPF10 means you could stay in the sun 10 times longer, or 100 minutes.”

But Dr. Ganz cautions that most sunscreens “break down” on average in two hours, meaning they lose their ability to protect you. So, you must reapply sunscreen every two hours.